VULTURIN^. NEOPHRON. 
35 
gorged in pellets. They nestle on the ground or on 
rocks, forming a rude nest, and laying from two to four 
ovate or oblong eggs. The young, at first covered with 
down, remain until fully fledged. 
Only a single individual of one of the smaller species 
has been shot in Britain. 
GENUS I. NEOPHEON. NEOPHRON. 
Bill nearly as long as the head, straight, slender, slightly 
compressed ; upper mandible cerate to beyond the middle, 
with the dorsal line nearly straight, the tip decurved and 
pointed ; lower mandible with the angle long and narrow, 
the dorsal line convex and short, the sides nearly erect, the 
tip obtuse. Nostrils large, oblong, medial. Eyes and au- 
ditory apertures of moderate siz;e. Feet rather short and 
stout ; tarsus roundish, with small angular scales ; toes scu- 
tellate only toward the end, the first very small, the third 
very long, the second shorter than the fourth ; the anterior 
toes webbed at the base. Claws rather long, arched, mode- 
rately compressed. Fore part of head and throat without 
feathers, but with scattered downy or bristly plumelets ; 
plumage full ; wings very long and broad, with the first 
quill short, the third longest ; tail of moderate length, much 
rounded, of fourteen feathers. This genus belongs to Asia, 
Africa, and Southern Europe. 
1. Neophron Percnopterus. White Neophron. 
Adult male and female with the plumage white, excepting 
the primary quills and basal part of the secondaries, which 
are black. Young dark brown, patched with brownish-yel- 
low ; subsequently of the latter colour. 
Male, 27, . . , 18, n, 3J, 3, ij. Female somewhat smaller. 
Generally distributed in Africa, Asia, and the south of 
Europe. Feeds chiefly on carrion, offal, and refuse, but at- 
tacks lizards, serpents, and small quadrupeds. In October 
1825, a young individual was killed in Somersetshire, and 
was obtained by the Rev. A. Mathew of Kilve, who lent it 
to Mr Selby, by whom it has been figured and described in 
his Illustrations. Another individual was seen in the neigh- 
bourhood a few days. 
